1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in a hand-held, engine-powered bush cutting machine having a rotary cutting blade for cutting weeds and small trees.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of hand-held, engine-powered bush cutting machines is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-50-129319. The disclosed bush cutting machine includes a brake device for positively applying, upon removal of power transmission to a cutting blade thereof, a braking force to the cutting blade to prevent rotation under inertia of the cutting blade. The bush cutting machine comprises a operation rod, an engine disposed at a proximal end of the operation rod, a transmission shaft passing through the operation rod and operatively connected with the engine, and a rotary cutting blade mounted to a top end of the transmission shaft. A brake drum mounted to a proximal end of the transmission shaft is housed in a clutch case provided at the proximal end of the operational rod. A pair of brake shoes brakes the drum by press contacting an outer peripheral surface of the drum. These brake shoes are supported by brake elements having links attached to their free ends. The links are pivotally attached to a lever which is in turn attached pivotally to the clutch case via a pin. The lever has a brake wire attached to one end thereof.
In the prior bush cutting machine, the lever for actuating the brake device and brake wire are disposed above the clutch case. Consequently, the lever and brake wire are apt to touch operator's arms and body during bush cutting operations, thereby obstructing those operations.
Further, in the bush cutting machine, parts of the brake device for braking the cutting blade, namely, upper portions of the brake shoes, links, lever, pin and the brake wire, are exposed to above the clutch case. Consequently, those parts are exposed to the weather during bush cutting operations, thus leading to the parts getting rusted. This requires measures to be taken to make the parts rust-proof.
One measure would be to arrange for the parts to be housed in the clutch case. However, with those parts housed in the clutch case, difficulty is encountered in performing such maintenance operations as adjusting a play of the brake wire and changing the wire to a new one, because the parts inside the clutch case can not be accessed directly and the clutch case need be removed from the engine.